Barrel-washer



(No' Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1, G; A. BIDW-ELL. BARREL WASHER.

No; 445,534. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

G. A. BIDWELL. BARREL WASHER.

No. 445,534. Patented Feb. 3,1891.

WITNESSES: IN VENTOR A TTOHNE Y 8 Miran STAT S PATENT Eric.

BARREL-WASH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,534, dated February3, 1891.

Application filed May 22, 1890. Serial No. 352,728. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BIDWELL, of Pittsfield, in the county ofBerkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedBarrel-Washer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedbarrel-washing machine which is simple and durable in construction andvery effective in operation.

The invention consists of a hollow shaft mounted to rotate and adaptedto connect at one end with a steam and water supply and to form at itsother end a support for the barrel, a branch pipe leading from the saidhollow shaft and adapted to discharge into the barrel, and an adjustablesupport for the barrel arranged in line with the said shaft.

The invention also consists in certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be described hereinafter, and thenpointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front view of the improvement with parts in section. Fig.2 is a transverse section of the same on the line a; m of Fig. I. Fig. 3is a face view of one of the barrel-bearings, and Fig. 4 is an enlargedsectional elevation of the barrel'inlet.

The improved barrel-washer is provided with a suitably-constructed frameB, preferably fastened on the ceiling of the building in which thebarrels are to be washed. In one end of the frame B is mounted to turnin suitable bearings a hollow shaft 0, connected at its outer end by asuitable coupling D with a fixed pipe E, into which open the pipes F andG for supplying the pipe E with steam and water, respectively. The pipesF and G are provided with valves F and G for regulating the supply ofwater and steam passing to the pipe E.

From the inner end of the hollow shaft 0 extends a branch pipe II, whichopens into the barrel-inlet J, connected with one of the heads of thebarrel and arranged in such a manner as to open when the valves F and Gare opened, so that water and steam flow through the pipe E, the hollowshaft (3, and the branch pipe H into the interior of the barrel K to bewashed.

The barrel is provided in the centers of its heads on the outside withbearings L and L,

each of which is provided with a transverse recess L (See Fig.3.) Thebearing L is engaged in its slot L by a lug C, formed on the closed endof the hollow shaft 0, so that when the latter is rotated the barrel Krotates with it. The other bearing L is engaged by a lug N, formed onthe end of a shaft N, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in a sleeveP, journa'led in a movable frame 0, fitted to slide onlongitudinally-extending guide-bars R, held in the upper part of themain frame B. WVhen the frame 0 has been adjusted according to the sizeof the barrel, it is fastened to one of the guide-bars R by a set-screwS;

In order to conveniently move the sleeve P longitudinally, the latter isprovided with an eye P, engaged by a pivoted arm P fillcrumed on theframe 0 and serving to move the sleeve P, with the shaft N,inward oroutward, so as to engage the lugs N C with the recesses L in thebearings L L or disengage them from the same. In order to lock the shaftN in place, a weighted pawl Q is provided, engaging teeth N formed onthe sleeve P. The pawl Q has the tendency to move the shaft N inwardtoward the barrel K.

Instead of placing the bearings L and L on the heads of the barrel, theymay be placed on the stavcs and arranged diametrically opposite eachother, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. t hen arranged in thismanner the pipe II is extended, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, soas to make proper connection with the inlet J. The latter is preferablyof the construction shown in Fig. 4:, in which a bushing J is provided,secured to the head of the barrel by suitable means, and in which screwsa plu -seat J in the front end of which opens the pipe II, and in therearend of which is adapted to be seated a plug J opening inward ontothe bushing J provided at its inner end with suitable perforations topermit the liquid to pass into the The bushingJ is barrel. Thisespeciallyconstruct-ed inlet forms part of an application for LettersPatent for a faucet: filed of even date herewith by me.

In order to prevent the frame 0 from sliding outward, a notched bar Tisprovided, adapted to pass through an opening in the said frame andengaging with one of its teeth a shoulder O in the bottom of the saidopening. The notched bar T is preferably held on one of the guide-barsR.

The shaft C for turning the barrel K can be rotated in either direction,and for this purpose is provided with a pulley U, over which passes abelt U, also passing over a pulley U secured on a shaft V, mounted toturn in suitable hearings in the .upper end of the main frame B.

On the shaft V is fitted to slide and to turn the double clutch W,connected with the usual shifting-lever WV, which when moved to theright or left changes the position of the clutch on the shaft. When thelever \V is moved to the left, one end of the double clutch WV engages apulley WV mounted to turn loosely on the shaft V. When the lever W ismoved to the left, one end of the double clutch W engages a pulley Wmounted to turn loosely on the shaft V. Over the pulley W passes a beltW also passing over a pulley W secured on the main driving-shaft X,mounted to turn in suitable bearings in hangers Y. arranged in the rearof the main frame B. Over the pulley W passes a crossed belt WV, alsopassing over a pulley on the shaft X, so that when the latter is rotatedand the double clutch W engages the pulley W then the shaft V is rotatedin one direction, and when the said double clutch IV engages the otherpulley IV the said shaft V is rotated in an opposite direction from themain driving-shaft X. The rotary motion of "the shaftV in one directionis transmitted to the shaft 0 by the pulleys U and U and the belt U.

The operation is as follows: The barrel K is hoisted into the properposition by suitable means, so that one bearing L engages the shaft Cand the other bearing L is engaged by the shaft N, as previouslydescribed. Shot is preferably placed in the barrel, which is closed atthe bung-hole, and then the operator opens the valves F and G, so as toadmit steam an d water into the barrel by means of the hollow shaft O,the pipe H, and inlet J, previously mentioned. At the same time thedouble clutch IV is thrown in contact with either of the pulleys WV orWV so as to rotate the shaft O in either direction, whereby the barrel Kis turned and the shot in the barrel rolls around in the latter, andwith the steam and water thoroughly scours the inner surface of thebarrel. After a suitable length of time the shifting-lever WV is movedso as to turn the shaft- 0 in the opposite dircclion to reverse themotion of the barrel K in order to insure complete scrubbing of allparts of the inside of the barrel. As the frame 0 can be shiftedlongitudinally, the shaft N, supported on the said frame, is movedinward and outward, so that the device can be used for large or smallbarrels or for turning the barrels endwise, as is shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A barrel-washer comprising a hollow shaft mounted to rotate andadapted to connect at one end with a steam and water supply and at itsother end forming a support for the barrel, a branch pipe leading fromthe said hollow shaft to discharge into the barrel, and an adjustablesupport for the barrel, arranged in line with the said shaft,substantially as shown and described.

2. A barrel-washer comprising a hollow shaft mounted to rotate andadapted to connect at one end with a steam and water supply and at itsother end forming a support for the barrel, a branch pipe leading fromthe said hollow shaft to discharge into the barrel, an adj ustablesupport for the barrel, arranged in line with the said shaft, and means,substantially as described, for imparting a forward and backward motionto the said shaft to rotate the barrel in opposite directions, as setforth.

3. In abarrel-washer, the combination, with a hollow shaft mounted toturn in one direction, of a fixed pipe leading into one end of the saidhollow shaft and connected with a water and steam supply, a branchpipeleading from the said hollow shaft and adapted to discharge into thebarrel to be washed, and a longitudinally-adj ustable shaft forming withthe said hollow shaft bearings for the barrel, so as to turn the latter,substantially as shown and described. 4. In abarrel-washer, thecombination,with a hollow shaft mounted to turn in one direction, of afixed pipe leading into one end of the said hollow shaft and connectedwith a water and feed supply, a branch pipe leading from the said hollowshaft and adapted to discharge into the barrel to be washed, alongitudinally-adjustable shaft forming with the said hollow shaftbearings for the barrel, so as to turn the latter, a longitudinally-adjustable frame supporting the said shaft, and means forlockin g theadjustable frame, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a barrel-washer, the combination, with a longitudinally-adjustableframe, of a sleeve mounted to slide therein, a shaft connected with thesaid sleeve and free to revolve therein, but sliding with the saidsleeve, and a barrel-bearing adapted to be engaged by the outer end ofthe said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

6. In abai'rel-\vasl1er,tl1e combinatiomwith mounted to rot-ate andconnected with a bara longitudinally-adj ustable f mine, of asleeverel-bearing opposite the first-named shaft, mounted to slide therein, ashaft connected substantially as shown and described.

with the said sleeve and free to revolve there- GEORGE A. BIDWVELL. 5in, but sliding with the said sleeve, a barrel- Witnesses:

bearing adapted to be engaged by the outer MICHAEL ENRIGHT,

end of the said shaft, and ahollow shaft E. J. COMBS.

